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Broad beans in their pods and some podded.
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5 from 3 votes

How to Cook Broad Beans (Fava Beans)

Not quite sure what to do with the glut of broad beans (fava beans)? Let me show you how to prepare, cook and even freeze these nutrient packed summer gems!
Course Side Dish, vegetable dish
Cuisine International
Keyword how to cook broad beans, how to cook fava beans
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Double Podding 10 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 83kcal
Author Jo Allison

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 kg fresh broad beans see notes
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Prepare broad beans for cooking by shelling them (getting rid of the outer skin/shell/pod).
  • Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  • Add shelled beans to boiling water and blanch for anything between 2-3 minutes max.
  • Once the time is up, drain the beans and cool them immediately in icy water or under cold running tap.
  • Double pod the beans by pinching them gently with your fingers to reveal their bright green, super tender flesh. Making small incision with a knife at the top of the bean will help. Discard the outer pods.
  • Use as you see fit in your favourite broad bean recipe or as a simple side dish.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Nutritional guidelines are approximate, per serving based on 4 servings of plain cooked broad beans and should be treated as a rough guideline only. 
  • 1 kg fresh broad beans (fava beans) will yield you anything between 250- 300g (9-10.5oz) worth of beans. It's usually enough for 4 side dish servings or to add to salad, pasta or rice dishes. 
  • Cooked beans will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
  • Freezer friendly (see "How to freeze broad beans" above)
TIPS
  1. Don't attempt double podding broad beans before blanching them, it would take you forever. They almost slip out of their skins once blanched.
  2. Don't go over 3 minutes max cooking time or you'll have an absolute mush. Broad beans taste their best tender but with a slight bite to them.
  3. Don't skip cooling the beans straight after blanching them. This stops cooking process and preserves both colour and nutritional value.
  4. Don't skip double-podding, it really is game changer! The outer skin is not particularly palatable in my opinion and actually quite bitter too.

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg